Shanghai SIPG boss Sven Goran Eriksson says his team cannot use the hot Melbourne temperatures as an excuse in tomorrow night’s Asian Champions League clash with Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park.
Shanghai arrived in Melbourne on Sunday to acclimatise to the hot weather, something of a change in conditions compared to wintery conditions in China. Similarly, SIPG are yet to start the new Chinese Super League season, which kicks off in a fortnight.
Eriksson says his team cannot dwell on a lack of match fitness and the heat, with the mercury expected to reach 30 degrees in Melbourne tomorrow afternoon.
“It’s good that we’re playing in the evening, it’s not as hot as it is now (38 degrees),” Eriksson said.
“We were in Gran Canaria (Spain) for a training camp for almost three weeks.
“The climate there was a little bit like this, so no (I’m not worried).
“It’s not an excuse to say ‘we’re not used to it’. It is a disadvantage that we are not used to competitive games yet, we have not begun the league.
“But it is not an excuse.”
The storied ex-England boss says he is prepared for a tricky Victory assignment as part of a “new experience”, having never managed against an A-League team.
Likewise, this instalment of the ACL is Shanghai’s first venture into the competition.
“It’s the first time, after we played the Thai team (Muangthong United), that we have played a team from other parts of Asia, so it’s a new experience.
“They (Melbourne Victory) are a very aggressive team, they put pressure on and will put pressure on us everywhere on the pitch, they are good in counter-attacks, they have some really good players, organised.
“They won the league last season, so we know that it is going to be difficult.
“It’s a different style from Chinese football, quite different.”
Eriksson added that skipper Sun Xiang has been ruled out for the match with an unnamed injury.
“The captain will not start tomorrow.
“The captain, he’s injured. He will be ready for the next game.”
Victory and Shanghai are pitted in Group G alongside Suwon Bluewings of South Korea and Gamba Osaka of Japan.
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